Comment of the day

As the race nears, you can see the schedule for the driver signings, the queues can get pretty long so line up early.. I will try to post any info when it becomes available. They usually put the info. in the daily English newspaper called Gulf Daily News, so it would be worth checking out during your stay.

Ask whether your hotel would provide any shuttle services to and from the track, if not try to organize car transport ahead of time to safe. There shouldn’t be much traffic, except on race day, the traffic can get pretty bad, so leaving early would be best.

If you still didn’t book, it would be wise to as the hotels get fully booked quickly. The Gulf Hotel would be a good choice because the area is close to many restaurants that are walking distance. Otherwise hotels in the Seef District would be closer to the shopping malls and are also a good option.. The Diplomat is also another good choice (Bahrain is small so nothing is really far away).LAK

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F1 Fanatic Google Calendar

I’ve had a lot of requests to offer the 2010 F1 calendar in other formats so you can now get XML, ICAL and HTML versions.

There are a lot of people offering similar F1 calendars, but our F1 Fanatic one has every F1 session marked separately so you can see the timings for the practice sessions plus qualifying and the race for all 19 rounds.

Launch and testing dates are also included, and other important F1 dates (the inevitable FIA hearings, for example) will be added as the year goes on. Get the F1 Fanatic Google Calendar here:

I am Serbian, and naturally will become an SGP supporter if they make their way in, which I hope they do, they deserve a shot and seem a lot more prepared than both Campos and USF1 (there is a lot to be said about the FIA selection process considering that 2 of the 3 selected teams are in considerable trouble before the season has even commenced).

There is *a lot* more to the message SGP posted on facebook, including claim of support from Ecclestone, and the potential for Villeneuve to partner with Ralph. Ralph is only waiting on SGP to be granted a confirmed entry in order for him to sign a deal with the team.

The message on the Facebook forum (paraphrased) re: Schumacher says:

“The younger Schumacher brother has contacted the SGP team and has said – ‘Serbs, I am coming!’

Ralph told German newspaper ‘Bild’:

Zoran Stefanovic made a great impression on me. I found out that they are interested in me, but I have nothing further to say in regards to our talks at this time. If this is an opportunity that is interesting to me is something that we will have to wait and see.

At first glance it seems that the younger Schumacher is interested in driving for the Serbian team, especially if SGP are able to suddenly take the place of one of two teams who could possibly fall out of place for this years F1 season, one of the two debut teams – Campos or USF1.

If these circumstances come together and Ralph lines up with the SGP team, it will mark his return to F1 after two years on the sidelines. There is another factor that attracts Ralph to the Serbian team, in that two and a half years ago he visited the country where he hunted dear and generally had a great and memorable time. It was at this time that he first met the businessman at the head of the Serbian GP efforts.

Ralph drove in DTM after finishing his career with Toyota in F1, where he finished in 14th place in his first season. Stefan GP has already sent containers with its cars to Bahrain for the first race of the season, and is fully prepared to participate in the full formula 1 season pending the regulating body allowing it entry.

*IMPORTANT*. In the day prior to the talks and announcement with Schumacher – F1 ‘boss’ Bernie Ecclestone spoke to SGP and pledged his support to the team to gain an entry on the grid this year.

SGP has from Toyota, who pulled out of the sport last year, purchased plans and supplies for this years car. The team is also working with Malcom Coughlan, a former McLaren designer, who was let go from his former team for stealing ideas from Ferrari. Other drivers in contention for a seat include former champion Jaques Villeneuve. “

On financial backing, AMCO is a huge company, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there are other Serbian business interests who have invested in the team. There is a lot of money floating around in Serbia, especially amongst these ‘mini Oligarchs’ who have bought up all the old state-owned infrastructure.

It seems that Bernie has committed to them that they have his backing for an entry this year, which might be why they dropped the EC suite against the FIA. There must have been some FOM involvement in having the cars and parts shipped to Bahrain, so it is all starting to make sense and starting to come together – we might see them on the grid this year in place of Campos.

if they [Stefan GP] make their way in, which I hope they do, they deserve a shot and seem a lot more prepared than both Campos and USF1

Well, at least US F1 hasn’t had their chassis bought out from under them cause they didn’t pay the bill to their supplier. And yes, I read that quote that Campos’ chassis deal is fine, the chassis deal Dallara sold to Stefan is some other chassis project. Uh-huh. Dallara always puts money into a project just for fun without anyone to sell it to. Well, lucky for them Stefan happened along. Suuuuuuuuuuuuure. It was Campos’ chassis, or I’ll eat your hat.

(there is a lot to be said about the FIA selection process considering that 2 of the 3 selected teams are in considerable trouble before the season has even commencenced

Alright, Campos is one, who is the other? I haven’t seen any reports of US F1 missing any payments to suppliers or contractors. And you can bet there would be an uproar of the seventh magnitude if there were even a hint of it. So I think US F1 is doing just fine.

Though I do agree that some parts of the FiA’s process of inducting new teams do need an overhaul. Like removing the part where they force new yeams to use a certain engine, for one.

It seens to me that FIA have decided (Mosley)to give entrances in F1 just to teams having the Cosworth motor without even check the financial background from the teams. With exception from Virgin that anyone knows his financial details!
I think this Serbian team deserves a shot in F1, they really seen eager to prove themselves and it seens they have the financial back up they need!
How´s it possible to garantee a place in F1 and don´t even ask for a financial statement of the teams?
I don´t feel sorry for Campos if they go, as they were never in!

Let’s not forget that at the time Campos applied to join F1 they were expecting to be competing under a budget cap of £40m. One of the reasons for their current struggle is probably that they’re having to spend a lot more than they had previously anticipated. Thanks, FOTA!

Frankly, that St Pete bank turning down the loan would be the best thing to ever happen to Petrov’s racing career.

The boy has talent, let him go race where he doesn’t have to buy a seat. He doesn’t have talent, he doesn’t deserve a seat anywhere. Plain and simple.

The days of rich dilletants and “beautiful people” buying a ride in F1 were over 50 years ago. Pay drivers are a thing of the past.

At least I thought it was. I guess F1 has opened it up again.

Petrov can find a race seat elsewhere that he doesn’t have to pay for. And the glory he gets if he wins would be all that much sweeter. And no one ever would be able to say he didn’t have what it takes, that he just bought a drive.

F1 really has gotten too full of itself. “the pinnacle of motorsport”..I think I may retch the next time I see that phrase. F1 has begun to believe it’s own press. F1 needs a reality check. Get over yourself, F1 , no one is THAT good.

If Petrov cannot pay, who will pay Kubica?
But on the other side, maybe Alan Prost (Renault) and Mika Hakkinen (Campos) can obtain the remaining seats so we have a line up with 7 world champions (provided Bernie pulls Stefan GP into F1 with Villeneuve) ?

I don’t understand why people get so upset about FOM claiming copyright on fan videos. The TV broadcasters pay millions of dollars for broadcasting rights to F1, they are perfectly within their rights to protest if unlicenced competition is emerging after the race.

It is clearly printed on every ticket that you are free to record the event or take photographs, as long as they are for personal use and aren’t broadcast to the public. If you don’t agree with those conditions, then don’t go to the event. Simple.

Bit of an off topic here but there has now been 2 reports here (Italy) today that Campos and USF1 may miss the first 3 races. Have I missed something on this site about it?
Teams can miss up to 3 races without sanctions from the FIA.

:-O Omg!! So sorry for my delayed reaction!! Can’t believe I made comment of the day, didn’t expect I ever will lol! :-D Thank you Keith!!

Is this quote from Bernie true? I read it somewhere on twitter, but didn’t see any confirmation elsewhere.. I find it to be weird that he agreed to that.. Contradicts with all the concern for the “show”, maybe he’s worried that he’ll lose the new teams?

Just remembering about the ‘Improving the show’ aspect.
Well, lets try and get Stefan GP in!
If only it was as simple as that.
I bet the current teams would oppose and there would be too much hastle. Oh well there’s 2011…